Two-Minute Healthy Teeth Rule

National Brush Day Promotes Importance Of Kids’ Oral Health

Call It the Two-Minute Healthy Teeth Rule.

One hundred and twenty seconds of thorough tooth brushing twice a day goes a long way to keeping cavities far, far away from kids’ teeth. While 240 seconds may seem like an eternity to a fidgety, hyper 5-year-old, the value of smart brushing for two minutes twice a day, is priceless to kids’ oral health and parents’ weary checkbooks.

National Brush Day, coming up on November 1, is designed to reinforce the importance of children’s oral health and promote good tooth-brushing habits recommended by dental habits. Parents nationwide are encouraged to ensure their children brush their teeth for two minutes twice a day.

“The messages in (the National Brush Day) campaign may seem simple, but their impact will be felt for years to come,” said Gary Price, secretary and CEO of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation.

Naturally, National Brush Day, an initiative heavily promoted by the non-profit Ad Council, is scheduled for the day after the sugariest day of the year, Halloween.

“Lots of children enjoy extra candy around Halloween, but parents and kids should understand that eating the candy can lead to problems with their teeth,” said Gary Price, secretary and CEO of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation.

Studies show, National Brush Day, now in its fifth year, is needed now more than ever. According to the American Dental Association in the United States alone oral disease causes kids to miss 51 million school hours and their parents to lose 25 million work hours annually. Even worse, oral disease disproportionately affects children from low-income families, whose children have almost twice the number of decayed teeth that have not been treated by a dentist as compared to others in the general population.

According to a study by the Ad Council, less than half of American parents report their children brush their teeth twice a day or more.

“The prevalence of oral disease, and its impact on youth in our country, is astounding,” said Peggy Conlon, former president and CEO of the Ad Council. “We are proud to join this wonderful collaboration to provide parents and children with simple and fun things they can do to improve children’s oral health.”

National Brush Day is the perfect chance for families to remember to practice the Two-Minute Healthy Teeth Rule.